An alliance of Iraqi Kurdistan's two major parties was holding off a new opposition group in the battleground province of Sulaimaniyah, early results from Iraq's March 7 polls showed Sunday.

Turkish security officials said a soldier was killed and another wounded Sunday in an ambush by Kurdish rebels in the southeast of the country.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's bloc built on its gains in Iraq's parliamentary election, initial results showed on Sunday, as he took a comfortable lead in the key province of Basra.

The Kurdistania alliance, made up of the Kurdish autonomous region's two long-dominant parties, was in the lead in the Iraqi province of Arbil, an election official told AFP on Thursday.

The Kurdistania alliance, made up of the Kurdish autonomous region's two long-dominant parties, was in the lead in the Iraqi province of Arbil, an election official told AFP on Thursday.

The Kurdistania alliance, made up of the Kurdish autonomous region's two long-dominant parties, was in the lead in the Iraqi province of Arbil, an election official told AFP on Thursday.

A teenage boy was killed and two others injured Thursday when they stepped on a landmine in southeastern Turkey, the theatre of a long-running Kurdish insurgency, media reports said.

Kurdish officials lashed out at Iraq's Sunni Vice President Tareq al-Hashemi on Thursday, accusing him of stirring sectarian discord after he said an Arab should be the country's next president.

A Turkish soldier was killed Tuesday when a mine believed to have been planted by Kurdish rebels exploded in the second deadly blast in as many days, the Anatolia news agency reported.

A Turkish soldier was killed and three others were injured in southeastern Turkey on Monday when a mine laid by Kurdish rebels exploded, local security officials said.

Human rights groups in Syria on Monday urged the government to lift a 47-year-old state of emergency, free political prisoners and allow greater political freedoms.

Asked who he was voting for, Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan looked left and right to check if anyone was listening, leaned forward and whispered: Goran -- Iraqi Kurdistan's upstart opposition.

Asked who he will be voting for, Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan looks left and right to check if anyone is listening, leans forward and whispers, Goran -- Iraqi Kurdistan's upstart opposition.

Asked who he will be voting for, Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan looks left and right to check if anyone is listening, leans forward and whispers, Goran -- Iraqi Kurdistan's upstart opposition.

Asked who he will be voting for, Ibrahim Abdullah Hassan looks left and right to check if anyone is listening, leans forward and whispers, Goran -- Iraqi Kurdistan's upstart opposition.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said after casting his ballot in the country's general election on Sunday that he had been asked by several blocs to continue in his post.

Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said Sunday after casting his ballot in the country's general election that he had been asked by several blocs to continue on in the post.

In March 1991, Kurdish rebels rose up against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in what is known in the region simply as "the uprising". Almost 19 years later to the day, a new political force in the region is hoping for a "peaceful uprising" of its own.

In March 1991, Kurdish rebels rose up against Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in what is known in the region simply as "the uprising". Almost 19 years later to the day, a new political force in the region is hoping for a "peaceful uprising" of its own.